Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad is viewed by many as the favourite to be the next Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) deputy president, but Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz is hoping to spring a surprise.
The post is vacant as the incumbent, Tan Sri Hamidin Amin, isn’t defending his seat.
The 44th OCM Annual General Assembly and the election of office bearers for 2025–2029 is tomorrow morning at Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur.
Nur Azmi, president of the Malaysian Karate Federation (Makaf), was the Chef de Mission to the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games. Malaysia ended the Games with 36 gold medals, with karate providing the final flourish.
He is the higher profile of the two candidates, having also served the Malaysian Hockey Confederation and is president of Melaka Football Club, which won this season’s A1 Semi-Pro League title.
Awalan, Malaysia Lawn Bowls Federation (MLBF) president, has successfully overseen development programmes that produced several world champions, despite it often being viewed as a “minor sport”.
He has promised to champion equitable access to resources, platforms and opportunities for major and emerging sporting disciplines if elected.
Both candidates are said to be close to Tan Sri Norza Zakaria, who is the only candidate for the president’s post.
There are seven candidates for the five vice-president posts, one of whom must be a woman, but with two strong candidates, we might see two females winning.
The seven nominees are Datuk Chong Kim Fatt (wushu), Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan (sepaktakraw), Datuk Iruan Zulkefli (boxing), Gerard Monteiro (squash), Azizul Anuar Adenan (taekwondo), Datuk Paduka Mumtaz Jaffar (athletics), and Nurul Huda Abdullah (swimming).
Only Chong and Mumtaz are incumbents, with Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya and Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Tan Sri Omardin not nominated, and Nur Azmi going for the deputy’s position.
If, as expected, Chong, Mumtaz and Nurul Huda receive the most votes, that would leave Mohd Sumali, Iruan, Monteiro and Azizul to battle for the remaining two seats.
Monteiro, also OCM’s internal auditor and chairman of the marketing & commercial committee of the World Squash Federation, has been president of the Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia since 2020.
A former national junior champion, Monteiro was among those who campaigned for squash to be included in the Olympics. The sport will make its debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Mohd Sumali, Iruan and Azizul are the respective presidents of the Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia, Malaysian Boxing Federation, and Taekwondo Malaysia.
There will be one other contest tomorrow – for the assistant secretary’s post, which will see Malaysia National Cycling Federation secretary Arif Astaman challenging Malaysian Snooker and Billiards Federation president Melvin Chia.
Nominees for OCM 2025–2029 term
President:
Tan Sri Norza Zakaria (badminton) – Uncontested
Deputy president:
Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad (karate)
Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz (lawn bowls)
Vice-presidents (five posts, at least one woman):
Datuk Chong Kim Fatt (wushu)
Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan (sepaktakraw)
Datuk Iruan Zulkefli (boxing)
Gerard Monteiro (squash)
Azizul Anuar Adenan (taekwondo)
Datuk Paduka Mumtaz Jaffar (athletics)
Nurul Huda Abdullah (swimming)
Secretary:
Datuk Mohd Nasir Ali (weightlifting) – Uncontested
Assistant secretary (two posts, at least one woman):
Arif Astaman (cycling)
Melvin Chia (billiards and snooker)
Moira Tan (netball) – Uncontested
Treasurer:
Datuk Ahmad Feisal Ahmad Tajuddin (cricket) – Uncontested
Assistant treasurer:
Datuk V. Subramaniam (badminton) – Uncontested
